Velez Sarsfield vs Argentinos Juniors

The stakes are high at the Estadio Jose Amalfitani as Velez Sarsfield take on Argentions Juniors in an exciting Liga Professional contest.

It was supposed to be a season of great promise for Velez Sarsfield following last year’s abysmal 26th-place finish. Yet a sub-par win ratio of 17% across the opening 18 Liga Professional fixtures (W3, D9, L6) has opened the door to another season-long fight against the drop. Stuck only one point clear of basement boys Arsenal Sarandi, the hosts come into proceedings winless in their last ten league matches (D6, L4). But an emphatic 5-1 home victory over lower-league Deportivo Espanyol in the Copa Argentina over the weekend might have increased the likelihood of Velez finding their first top-flight win since March. That’s still very much in the balance, as they’ve lost their last two competitive meetings with Argentinos Juniors without scoring.

Meanwhile, the visitors will take this trip in a buoyant mood after a come-from-behind 2-1 home triumph over Liverpool Montevideo cemented their top spot in Copa Libertadores Group E. Still, despite their impressive continental form, Argentinos Juniors have blown hot and cold in the Primera Division of late, registering partial success across their last four league outings (W2, L2). Three of those four results (wins/losses) yielded an identical 1-0 scoreline, underlining the significance of breaking the deadlock. Adding to this sentiment, Gabriel Milito’s men have lost all four away league matches after conceding the opening goal this season. By contrast, a halftime lead should improve their hopes of clutching three points, considering they’ve emerged victorious in three out of four Liga Professional games when being in front at the break (L1).